


Within Reach

by UnknownAuthorPerson



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, Implied Sexual Content, Lance gets around a little, Suggestive Themes, Surreal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-17 23:53:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15472875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnknownAuthorPerson/pseuds/UnknownAuthorPerson
Summary: Lately, Shiro hasn't been sleeping and Lance can't remember the last time he flew in his lion. That's okay as long as they have each other?





	Within Reach

Time seemingly doesn’t exist in space. Only the stars seemed to move but Lance remained the same. He stares out his window while Shiro slept on his lap, stroking his hair as he absentmindedly counted the stars. Anything to distance his mind from the present. The infinite number of stars just made him wonder about Earth and his family again. What were they doing and do they think he’s dead?

Looking down on the sleeping Shiro, continuing to stroke his soft hair, wondering if Shiro has family on Earth as well. Not that Shiro ever really talked about his own family, choosing to call Voltron just that. Family. But now it didn’t seem like they were, in fact as Lance petted him, he didn’t feel the passion that he had felt when they were together. If anything, he felt admiration, but guilt in the position he was in. Then again he couldn’t have predicted this ever happening with any guy, let alone Shiro

It started when he found out Shiro hadn’t been sleeping. Spending his time training alone and dark circles developing under his eyes. Lance had been up too because of a strange dream and a sudden need to walk around. Once Shiro confined in him about his night terrors, almost effortlessly, Lance listened and offered a shoulder to cry on. Both figuratively and literally.

Miraculously, Lance convinced him to sleep again as they walked back to their rooms. Lance offered his room as it was closer, though he could have sworn Shiro’s room wasn’t much farther. But as long as Shiro slept it was fine, Lance offered to sleep on the floor but Shiro asked him to sleep with him. He didn’t argue, he should have, but he didn’t. The bed was surprisingly spacious for the two of them, Lance knew that maybe it was some Altean magic or something but it was comfortable nonetheless.

Then the next night Shiro returned unprompted, but Lance obliged, he cared about his hero after all. Didn’t he? The cycle continued for a few more nights until tonight. Up until then, Lance had felt like a magnet pulling himself to Shiro but he resisted with ease. Knowing the risks but another part pushed him to his hero.

Shiro sat on the edge of the bed. He followed him to the bed and sat next to him, with a sense of familiarity surrounding this moment. Lance had been here before with Keith but he pushed it out of his mind. Especially when Shiro suddenly kissed Lance, his hands had gone to push Shiro away but instead he caressed the back of his head. Shiro pushed him onto the bed, kissed him on the ear and whispered “You’re so beautiful,” there they made love.

But now that passion was gone and his mind finally clear. He stopped stroking Shiro’s hair and pulled away a little. He had to ask himself, why did he like Shiro? Admired? Yes of course he did, they all did. But even now he didn’t feel that same desire not too long ago to kiss and hold him. Confusion was something that could better fit what he was feeling. He blinked fast and examined his room. There were no finer details and it seems emptier than usual. He had noticed that his creams and face masks weren’t there; like he was just in an empty room with a bed and that’s it. Looking at Shiro, he remembered Keith.

Lance moved away from Shiro, surprised he didn’t wake up after his head hit hard on the bed. This was something that happened with Keith last week. He hadn’t thought about it until this very moment. But Keith was like this before and even then he knew he didn’t like him like that. Even after their one night together, Keith went back to ignoring him and any feelings he thought he had felt were gone. Then Hunk before him and then….

He tried to remember the entire week without Shiro and him. He couldn’t think of anything else he had done this week. No Galra attacks, it had been suspiciously quiet but he never really thought about it, or maybe he didn’t want to think about it. He tried to picture the last time he was flying in red or blue? Which one did he fly? Holding his head as he kept thinking about the last time he did anything during the day that didn’t involve training? When was the last time he’d seen Coran?

“Shiro?” Lance asked but Shiro was still asleep. “When was the last time you’d seen Coran?” Lance shook him a little before Shiro started to toss and turn until he finally awakens, causing Lance to be taken back a little. He had never seen him so, docile, so submissive. It wasn’t something that Shiro should be, not now or ever, but here he was facing him like Shiro had awoken from a horrible dream. He reached out to caress Lance’s cheek. The warm touch of his hand sent shivers down Lance’s spine, like accidentally stepping in slimy water with bare feet.

“Oh Lance, thank god you’re still here,” Lance was pulled into an embrace and he felt Shiro’s sweaty skin and heartbeat against him. Yet he felt nothing, not that he didn’t like comforting his friend, he cared about Shiro, loved him, maybe? Only it was in a platonic way, he had to believe it was platonic. It had to be platonic.

“Shiro, wait.” Lance pushed Shiro away and saw that he was crying. An urge to kiss him swelled within him. A feeling that kept emerging when he kept thinking ‘He needs help’ Shiro leaned in closer to kiss Lance but he placed his hand over Shiro’s lips. It still didn’t feel right.

He pushed him away and stared him dead in the eyes. “When was the last time you remember flying in the lions? Please try and remember.” Lance gripped his shoulders to try and get something out of him. Shiro looked at him with one eyebrow raised.

“This is serious, when was the last time we did anything related to the Galra? Infiltration? Attacks? Anything?” Lance shook him desperate for an answer but Shiro just smiled and kissed him on the forehead, making Lance’s heart sink and his body go cold for a moment.

“It’s gonna be okay Lance, everything’s fine” Shiro lifted Lance’s chin up to him but his touch felt cold and robotic and all Lance could do was gawk at his hero, leaning down to kiss him.

“STOP!” Lance pushed him away as Shiro’s body toppled to the floor. He froze in place contemplating what he had just done. He didn’t hear Shiro move. His first thought was of that he killed him, could he kill him from pushing him off the bed? It was crazy sure but he should have moved by now. The bed creaked as Lance gazed down at the floor, to find a mannequin in shambles.

It seemed to have the same build, same scars, but no face and no other finer details. Lance saw the detached arm that looked as though the mechanical are had been painted on. Carefully studying the, Even so, he could feel its eyes on him, and he shivered at the idea of getting up or moving even slightly. His mind raced with questions and possible answers, all of them mushed into nonsense forcing himself to get up from the bed. Searching for his clothes, every so often looking at the fake Shiro in hopes that it didn’t move. Dressed and ready, he left the room and the second the door closed. He ran.

Ran and ran and ran. He turned left down the hallway he remembered being the way to dining room, but more hallways here found. He turned right, and then left and right and left. Eventually, he stopped in what he had assumed was the bay room, but opened the door to find more hallways. A low rumble shook the castle as Lance continued to run down the hallways.

He had walked down these paths so many times, but now it seemed like they were changing each turn he took. Even if they were, there had to be a way out. Out of where he wasn’t sure but he had to find the others. Hunk, Pidge, Allura, Even Keith. The moment he thought of Keith, a brief flash him shirtless, lust in his eyes and crawling towards him came to mind, and stopped in his tracks. It was so vivid and Lance held his head in his hand, sweat forming at the brow.

He didn’t like guys like that, he hated Keith. Well, he tolerated him, but he would never want to kiss him. Suddenly the image was replaced with Hunk, in that same position as Keith and then Shiro. Lance kneeled down trying he best to keep his memory straight, who was he in bed with? Keith? No, it couldn’t be. Shiro? Yes, so why does he remember Hunk sitting on his bed? Lance tried to think of Allura or any girl he had met over the years, just as long as it wasn’t guys. But he couldn’t even conjure the face of Allura. He wanted to scream but instead, he kept trying to think of anything else, the face of his mother? His siblings? Pidge? Nothing formed except sweeping romantic memories of Keith and it made him want to scream even more.

“Lance? Are you okay?” Allura asked, calling attention to him. Looking up at her angelic face made him want to cry, he probably was but all he wanted to do was kiss her. Instead, he took her hand, hugging her instead. She was taken aback a bit but her hands wrapped around him and the warmth of her against him was something so soothing that he never wanted to let go.

“I’m really not sure, but I’m just really happy to see you,” He admitted, allowing her to pet the back of his head. It felt comfortable, he closed his eyes and he squeezed tighter, more relaxed than he had these tense few minutes. He needed her for just this second

“It’s okay, I’m here for you,” her breath was warm and a shiver ran down him. She kissed his ear. His eyes were open now and with a yelp, Lance pushed away from her. She looked confused as that desire to hold her rose. He saw images of them kissing and her on his lap, pushing him onto the bed. Just like Shiro, just like Keith, just like Hunk.

Just like Shiro did.

Just like Keith.

Just like Hunk.

They’ve been like that before. Her kissing his ears and whispering something. That’s what they all did. This had to be a trick. He looked at her and Allura was reaching out to him, trying to touch his cheek but he backed away from her. Even if his desire to hold her was powerful.

“Lance, listen to me. I can make you happy. Please stay with me.” the castle rumbled again as she walked closer. Her beautiful face was fading into a blank expression with her movements becoming stiff and robotic. Lance pushed the fake Allura aside and all he heard were the tumbling of pieces fall to the castle ground. He had to get out of here now.

“Stay” someone pleaded to him in his mind but Lance kept moving. “Stay with me,” it tried to imitate Keith but Lance’s pace quickened. He couldn’t stay, he wanted to leave, he wanted to go home or back to wherever everyone was. It didn’t matter, as long as he wasn’t here.

Images of himself and Keith in an embrace flooded his mind yet turned a hallway with more force. Images of Shiro on his chest as he stroked his hair and Allura commenting on how cute his ears were. At the end of yet another winding hallway, he saw the familiar door of the hangers to the lions. Speeding towards to the door, he felt a force reaching out to him and grab him. Falling forward onto the ground. He looked down and saw nothing but he could feel something grab a hold onto his leg. Pulling against the force but it held tighter as he crawled away from whatever was holding him back.

He kicked the force wildly and hopeful that he got something. The castle shook even more with the ceiling falling right in front of him with a loud crash. The crash allowed for his leg to be freed, allowing him immediately to get up and run in one swoop. The Castle was crashing around him, the floors even seemed to be losing their shine as he ran faster to the hanger. Jumping over bits of debris and ignoring the screaming voice and attempts to grab him.

Finally reaching the door he pressed the codes and as soon as the door opened he rushed inside. Looking out into the unraveling hallway that turned into a white void. He continued to stare out even as the door closed. He back away from the door as cold numbness overwhelmed him. The room spun trying to rationalize if anything was real, was the floor? Were the Lions right in front of him? Was the wall he was leaning against? Or had insanity taken him?

The questions overtook him yet his body forced itself to the blue lion, any lion really. Hell, the black lion would be cool but at this point, he just wanted to leave. To go home, to Earth? To the real castle? What was home? He just needed to leave. All around him was beginning to collapse as the lion stood still, the only reality he needed.

“Lance, wait!” He stopped as soon as the voice called to him but didn’t face the source. He didn’t need to to know who it was.

“Please, don’t leave me. I need you. I can’t live without you.” It was Keith, of all people, sounding genuine in his desperate cry. And for one second, Lance would have believed him. An urge to turn around and kiss him came erupting up, similar to the moment before vomiting. His body suddenly craved Keith, pulling him towards him like that same magnet from before. He hissed between his teeth, pushing against every rising instinct to give in and be embraced. But freedom was so close that he needed it more. His legs forced him to continue as a hand gripped his shoulder and forced him to face a desperate and teary-eyed Keith.

This was something that Lance was unaware that Keith could feel but he pulled himself away from him continued to the lion. That was when Keith pulled him back and smashed his lips hard against Lance’s. But Lance didn’t kiss back, pulling away once again and punching Keith in his face. Cathartic, he thought to himself for a moment. Keith staggered backward a bit as his body became limp. The head lifted up as the last of Keith’s face faded away and froze before collapsing onto the floor and into pieces. Lance huffed and backed away, making sure it didn’t move from the ground.

Then it did, and Lance froze as the mannequin twitched and shook getting up. The ratting and crunching noise it made was implausible as the voices of multiple people repeated his name. Such urgency and longing but it had no mouth to speak of, but it screamed nonetheless. It shook Lance to the core as it rattled and twitched closer to him. Shifting between faces he was familiar with but never stayed more than once as it’s limped hand reached out for him.

Lance couldn’t move, only able to twitch his hand a tiny bit, wishing for his Bayard or any weapon. But the creature continued to move, gently laying its hand on his chest, prompting Lance to move away. As it tried to touch him again, Lance raised his fist and punched it again, hard enough for it to stumble back but not fall. It continued to move toward him even as the ground shook around them. Lance fell back into the jaw of the blue lion, just as the floor began to fall through.

The last thing Lance saw was the mannequin fall into a deep black hole that was once the castleship. The jaw of the Lion closed just in time for him to reach the cockpit. When he reached the control panel and ignored the roaring whispers that filled the airwaves, he pushed the thrusters forward and flew the lion away from the last of the debris.

“Come back! Come back!” It cried, more and more even as he flew deeper into space, the pleas going ignored. He pushed the lion faster than she’s ever gone before. Hoping that the speed would break whatever was trying to pull him back. He just wanted to be free.

“STAY!” the voice continually screamed like a piercing siren right in his ear. He didn’t dare look behind him as the stars shine brightly which became his only focus. He could just fly into a star and be rid of this fever dream, but for now, if he could make the voice stop, that would be good as well. He pressed the buttons he knew that would engage the boosters, shooting his lion faster than before. Even if that meant that her energy would be shot, even if he would be stuck in the middle of nowhere in space, he just wanted silence. Pushing the lion further and further until he could only see white and feeling the full force of her speed. 

It was there that one last screech of the voice echoed throughout Lance’s mind but eventually, it faded away. Leaving the beeps and whispers of his Lion, letting him know that he was safe. He slowed her down until they came to a complete stop. Floating in space, completely limp and alone. Lance closed his eyes and sighed in relief, he had no idea where he was or where to go, but for now, at least he was at peace and the stars never looked so beautiful.

**Author's Note:**

> So I wanna thank you for making it through this very experimental fic that I wrote. I've never written anything abstract before but I figured "hey, why not test your skills out on fanfiction," and who am I to say no to something fun? I think this one came out better than the first time I tried to write it but I also hope that people kinda get a sense of what I'm trying to say about how I feel about Lance. Maybe I did, maybe I didn't but it's finished and I had fun with it. 
> 
> And in the end, isn't that the important part of writing in the first place?


End file.
